Stepping rhythmic interpolater



March 3, 1970 D. A. BUNGER 3,499,091

STEPPING RHYTHMIC INTERPOLAI'ER Filed Feb. 10, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l5SOLO L NOTES SHIFT REGISTER '9 II '3 L PEDAL RESET f? INVENTOR DAVIDA.BUNGER 1 ATTORNEYS March 3, 1970 o. A. BUNGER STEPPING RHYTHMICINTERPOLATER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 10. 1967 INVENTOR DAVID A.BUNGER xx "moms;

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510 3 zoo ATTORNEY March 3, 1970 n. A. BUNGER 3,499,991

STEPPING RHYTHMIC INTERPOLATER Filed Feb. 10, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 3DAVID A. BUNGER w zww 29- T 2%? BYMI& M

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,499,091 STEPPING RHYTHMIC INTERIOLATERDavid A. Bunger, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to D. H. Baldwin Company,Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 10, 1967, Ser. No.615,217 Int. Cl. G10f 1/08 US. Cl. 84-1.03 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE Background of the invention The stepping rhythmicinterpolator of the present invention provides a rhythmic pattern eachcomponent of which is directly called for by the player.

There have been two types of rhythmic interpolator available heretofore.In one form, a rhythmic sequence of percussive sounds is generated, in acontrollable tempo. The timing of the individual sounds forming thesequence is not under the continuous control of the player, as he plays,but the player must follow the tempo and the rhythm. This type of deviceis exemplified in the US. patents to Park, 3,255,292 and 3,146,290.

In another form, a rhythmic pattern is pre-established for each measureof the music or for each two measures of the music, but each completepattern is initiated by a signal, i.e. the playing of a note or theclosure of a switch. Each time the signal occurs, the same sequence ofvoices sounds. Tempo may be manually pre-established or may beautomatically computed from the time separation of the signals. Thistype of device is exemplifled in the US. patents to Campbell, 3,140,336and 3,247,309.

In accordance with the present invention, a sequence of percussivevoices or combinations of voices is set up by switches. The playing ofsuccessive notes on an accompanied electronic organ will then call forththe appropriate voices of the sequence, in a predetermined order, but novoice sounds unless and until a note is played. Thereby, the rhythmicinterpolator is always under control of the musician, for each note thathe plays on the organ. If he stops playing, the interpolator does notcontinue to sound. If he varies rhythm or the timing of notesin ameasure, or tempo within a measure, the interpolator will neverthelesscontinue to provide precisely timed accompaniment. In the prior artdevices these desiderata are not attainable.

Summary of the invention The circuitry of the present invention includesan electronic shift register, which advances one step for each inputpulse. The input pulses derive from notes played on a musicalinstrument, such as an electronic organ, and more particularly fromnotes played on the accompaniment manual of the organ. I

Assume a four position shift register. There are then four triggerout-puts, which are respectively selectively and at will connected tovarious predeterminable combinations of percussive voice sources througha switching array. There can be a number of different switches each ofwhich establishes a different combination of voices in response to thetrigger outputs of the shift register. By actuating more than one switchthe combinations available from single switches can be added, to providemore complex voices than are available to single switches.

Provision may be made for reset of the register with each pedal noteplayed or each second pedal note played.

Description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a block diagram of a systemaccording to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a block diagram of a modification of the system of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a block diagram of a further modification of the system ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a schematic circuit diagram of the system of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of a reset circuit for thesystem of FIGURE 4.

Description of the preferred embodiments In FIGURES 1, 10, 11, .12, 13are the successive stages of a shift register, SR, stage 13 feeding backto stage via lead 14. Terminal 15 is connected to a lead which sees asignal each time that a note is played on a predetermined manual of anelectric organ, for example, the accompaniment manual. Thereby, for eachnote played the shift register SR advances one step. The several stages10-13 of the shift register SIR provide output signal on output leads16, 17, 18, 19, respectively. These leads terminate in the gangedselector arms 20, 21, 22, 23, respectively, of step switches S1, S2, S3,S4. To the contacts of switches S1, S2, S3, S4 are connected tonesources. For example, a clave tone source is connected to the firstcontacts of switches S1 and S3, and a temple block tone source 26 to thefirst contacts of switches S2 and S4. Accordingly, as shift register SRsteps through its cycle one hears the sounds Clave, Temple Block, Clave,Temple Block. These sounds each occur concurrently with an organ tone,regardless of the tempoemployed. The output of clave tone source 25,temple block tone source 26, and of the organ 30 itself are applied tothe input on audio amplifier 31, for application to a loudspeaker 32.

The pedal notes of the organ, when played, may generate pulse signalswhich are applied to reset terminal 33 for application to all the stagesof shift register SR, to reset the latter. Capacitors 34, in series withleads 1619, inclusive, assure that control pulses will be applied fromstops 1013, inclusive, only during shift, and the shift register SR isarranged to be reset so that the reset pulse effects transfer from stage11, 12 or 13 to stage 10.

It is feasible to utilize the present system without pedal reset, forexample for some types of Latin music. In such case, if the musicianinadvertently interposes a note not called for by the music, or omits anote, the shift register SR will be out of step with the music, but thecharacter of the music will mask the apparent defect. Or, the musiciancan readily re-synchronize by the manner of his playing.

In the system of FIGURE 2, three tone sources are shown, i.e. the clave25 and the temple block 26 and additionally a Conga tone source 40.Switches 41 are provided, which can connect each of leads 1619 to anyone or more of the tone sources 25, 2-6, 40. Twelve switches can thenprovide very many diverse rhythmic tone patterns. The system can beextended to additional tone sources, additional register stages, orboth, as desired.

The modification illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the accompanying drawingsprovides for four register stages,

3 four effective two contact switches, and four tone sources. Leads16-19, as in FIGURES 1 and 2, proceed to the register stages and fourvertical leads 42a-42d proceed via isolating diodes 43 to varioushorizontal leads 4451. These in turn are connected to tone sources, viaswitches S.

For example, vertical bus 42a proceeds to lead 44, vertical bus 42b tolead 46, vertical lead 420 to lead 48, and vertical lead 42d to lead 50.Switch S1 connects lead 44 to Clave terminal 51. Switch S2 connects lead46 to Tom-Tom terminal 52. Switch S3 connects lead 48 to Clave terminal51 and switch S4 connects lead 50 to Temple Block terminal 55. Thereby,according to which one or ones of switches S may be closed, the soundsof Clave, Tom-Tom, Temple Block sound on transfer of the shift registerSR from stage to stage 11. The diodes 43 prevent sneak circuits, inconventional manner.

Assume that only switch S1 is closed. As the shift register movesthrough its stages, lead 16 is connected to lead 44, lead 17 to lead 45,lead 18 to lead 44 and lead 19 to lead 45. The sequences of sounds isthen Clave, Temple Block, Clave, Temple Block. On closure of switch S2and switch S1, the Tom-Tom sound is added to the first two tones and theConga sound to the last two, and in general by closing fromone to fourof switches S1-S4, in any desired combination, fifteen tone patterns areavailable.

In FIGURE 4 is provided a schematic circuit diagram which may be used inthe system of FIGURES l-3, inclusive, and particularly a shift registersuitable for application in these systems is illustrated. Each of stages1013 includes a single transistor, these being identified as T1, T2, T3,T4. The emitters of the transistors T1-T4 are grounded and thecollectors are connected to a +10 v. bus 60, which derives its voltagefrom a 22 v. bus 61 via a voltage dropping resistance 62. It is assumedthat each of transistors T1-T3 is saturated, at 4.5 ma. but thattransistor T4 is unsaturated.

Transfer pulses are applied at lead 64 to bus 60, via trigger amplifierT5 and capacitor 65. These pulses are derived from an accompanimentmanual triggering amplifier. Similar pulses may be derived from the solomanual of an electronic organ. Accordingly, control of rhythmicaccompaniment may derive from either manual of the organ.

The trigger amplifier T5 is normally off. A positive trigger pulse isapplied to the input of T5 causing the transistor to saturate. Thisapplies a negative trigger to bus 60 via capacitor 65.

Transistors T1-T3 are saturated and the negative. trigger pulse passingthrough their respective collector resistors has no effect on the stateof the shift register.

The negative trigger pulse applied to T4 via its collector resistor isapplied to the base of T1 via lead 67 driving T1 out of saturation. Thisraises the voltage at the collector of T1 and that rise is transferredto the base of T3 and T4 via lead 68 and to the base of T2 via thecapacitor 100 and resistor 101 and 102. Thus T2 and T3 remain insaturation, T4 becomes saturated and T1 is now unsaturated. Succeedingtrigger pulses steps the shift register in like manner.

A negative going reset pulse is applied directly to the, base oftransistor T1, from terminal 33, whenever a pedal note is played,provided pedal reset is utilized in the system.

It is feasible selectively to reset for each four notes or for eacheight notes as desired. To provide selective reset, resort is had to thesystem of FIGURE 5 of the accompanying drawings.

In FIGURE 5, positive pulses produced by pedal actuation are applied toterminal 80. Terminal 80 is coupled directly to the base of transistorT6, and reset pulses are derived from the collector of T6, which isresistance loaded, at output terminal 81.

The collector of T6 is coupled, via capacitor 82, to a flip-flop 83,comprising cross-coupled transistors T7 and T 8, The flip-flop 83provides an output pulse from the collector of T8 only on each secondpulse applied to the flipfiop. In effect, flip-flop 83 is a divideby-two circuit. The output of T8 is a negatively going pulse, applied topedal reset terminal 85 via diode 86. Either terminal 81 or terminal 85is connected to terminal 33, at the will of the musician, so that resetmay occur selectively on each pedal note, or on each second pedal note.Or, terminal 33 may be left unconnected, and reset dispensed with.

In general, any type of register may be employed in the practice of theinvention, including a mechanical stepping switch. A wide variety ofswitching circuits may also be envisaged intermediate the register andonly desired percussive tone sources.

What is claimed is:

1. A stepping rhythm device, comprising a shift register having pluralstages,

an electronic organ having a manual,

means responsive to playing of each note available to at least a portionof said manual for generating a control pulse,

means applying said control 'pulses to advance said shift register forproviding a further control pulse on at least one percussive tonesource, and

means for energizing said percussive tone source in response to saidfurther control pulses.

2. A stepping rhythm device, comprising a shift register having pluralstages,

a source of control pulses,

means applying said control pulses to advance said shift register,

connections to separate stages of said shift register for providingfurther control pulses,

at least two percussive tone sources of diverse characters, and

means selectively energizing said tone sources in response to saidfurther control pulses.

3. A stepping rhythm device, comprising plural percussive tone sourcesof diverse characters,

susceptible of emitting diverse tones when energized, a plurality ofleads, means for at will connecting various of said plural percussivetone sources to said plurality of leads in a predetermined pattern,

means applying energizing sources in succession to said leads, wherebysaid tone sources sound in response to said pulses in an orderdetermined by said predetermined pattern, wherein said last means is anelectronic shift register having plural stages.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein is provided meansresponsive to each of selected organ tones for advancing said shiftregister from stage to stage.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said selected organtones are the organ tones called forth by the accompaniment manual of anelectronic organ.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein is further providedmeans for resetting said shift register in response to bass tones playedon said electronic organ.

7. An electronic musical instrument for generating repetitive rhythmicpatterns, comprising an electric organ including first keyboard meansfor playing notes in sequence,

a pedal keyboard,

a shift register having multiple stages,

means responsive to actuations of said pedal keyboard for resetting saidregister, means responsive to each operation of said first keyboardmeans to play a note for advancing said register from one stage toanother,

means providing tone signals of diverse character,

means responsive to each advance of said shift register for callingforth a selected one of said tone signals of diverse character, and

an electroacoustic system for radiating audio tones corresponding withthe called for tone signals.

6 L 8. An electronic musical instrument for generating rhythmicpatterns, comprising an electronic organ having a pedal keyboard, amulti-stage electronic shift register, means responsive to actuations ofsaid pedal keyboard for resetting said multi-stage electronic shiftregister, a source of pulses each generated at the will of a humanoperator, means responsive to each of said pulses for advancing saidshift register by one stage, a plurality of percussive tone sources, andmeans responsive to advances of said shift register for calling forthselected ones of said percussive tone sources as a function of the stateof said shift register. 9. A stepping rhythm device for an electronicorgan, said organ having plural playing keys, comprising pluralpercussive tone sources of diverse tonal characters each capable ofemitting a percussive tone when energized by an energizing pulse, aplurality of leads, manual switch means for interconnecting saidpercussive tone sources to diverse ones of said leads at will, and meansresponsive to each of all actuations of said plural playing keys forapplying energizing pulses to said plurality of leads in succession andthereby to one or more of said percussive tone sources to which theleads are connected. 10. The combination according to claim 9, whereinsaid last means is a shift register having plural stages having outputconnections to said leads, and means responsive to actuation of any ofsaid playing keys for modifying the settings of the said stages, thesetting of each of said states determining whether or not any one ofsaid leads shall have one of said energizing pulses applied thereto bythat stage.

11. A stepping rhythm device for control by player manipulation of asingle organ multi-key manual, comprising plural percussive tone sourcesof diverse characters,

susceptible of emitting diverse tones when energized by voltage pulses,

a plurality of leads,

means for at will interconnecting various of said plural percussive tonesources to said plurality of leads in a predetermined spatial pattern,and

means responsive to said manipulation of said single organ manual fordistributing said voltage pulses to said leads in a predetermined timepattern of application to said leads while generating each of saidvoltage pulses in response to one manipulation of any one of the keys ofsaid manual.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,235,648 2/1966 George 841.033,317,649 5/1967 Hearne 841.17 X

HERMAN KARL SAALBACH, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 84-1.08, 1.24

